Ysterman
Race Dog
This ride report is a bit overdue and the memory has been severely troubled in the mean time by a visit to Germany and way too many beers and Killepitsch (a liqueur only sold in D�¼sseldorf, unique in the world. You can drink it right in front of the pub. It is a liqueur for the stomach. It is mild with a strong end - 50 different herbs). This is it ?
Anyway, this was the plan or rather how it turned out:
5th April - Jburg to Memel Thursday 5th April
6th April - Memel to Tugela Ferry
7th April ? Zingela
8th April ? Tugela Ferry to Babanango
9th April ? back to Jburg
The tracks for the trip:
Between all the riders and non-riders, a million photo?s were taken ? fantastic memories for the trip, but I can unfortunately only show you a couple.
Day 1 & 2:
The ride to Memel was fast. Minor traffic problems in Jburg with the long weekend took us a bit longer to leave the big smoke behind, but once we escaped it was a nice ride with only two incidents. The first, we get pulled over by three traffic cops just outside Heidelberg cause two of the bikes had no number plates ? but with good explanations (maybe more because we were accompanied by an ingelsman from Tugela Ferry that spoke the Zulu language quite pretty) we were soon on our way again.
Next, I nearly took myself out leading the pack by not concentrating on the cars breaking hard in front of me (a gentleman in a new model Disco overtook a truck ? realise that they will not make it and decided to go right onto the dirt next to the tar ? this means that from where I am riding there is an oncoming truck in the right hand lane, cars breaking furiously in front of me and an oncoming Disco left of me on the dirt). Somehow I just managed to stop with a meter to spare ? and with a heart screaming for brandewyn & coke to calm it down.
The evening at the Memel hotel was an enormous success as always with a five star breakfast the following morning ? the only meal until much later ?
What a fantastic day it was ? awesome roads, scenery and adventure. From Memel we went over Mullers Pass, past Fort Mistake, the Maria Ratschitz Mission (recently in the news where a nun died trying to save another life from a burning hospice) and filled up at Wasbank. The final stretch to Tugela Ferry was supposed to be just a normal ride but turned out to be an adventure, but more on that a little bit later.
The Memel surroundings, pretty as always.
Down Mullers Pass and further.
The turnoff to G?s spruit ?
A quick stop at the Maria Ratschitz Mission turnoff.
Wasbank, nothing much to say here ?
If memory serves me correct, this is going up ?Jobskop?, the view from the top and going down.
Then the day turned into one big adventure. We decided to take the scenic route to Tugela Ferry at Wintershoek just before the Sundays River. The jeep track wasn?t mapped on any of the GPS maps, but it appeared to go exactly where we wanted ? and we had enough time ?
Following the jeep track next to the river and the local village.
And then the road stopped ? Lucky for us the ingelsman chatted to a local mama which ensured us that there is a path and that we will make it easy ? yeah right. In the photo below, next to the Sundays River, you can just make out the road on the other side ? 600m as the crow fly. That was 13:30 and with nothing to eat since Memel?s fabulous breakfast.
First, as good GS riders do, we scouted & walked the river to make sure we can go thru. With the path plotted thru the river, missing the underwater rocks etc it was time to plot the road to the point of entrance at the river. Two options ? the fun way and the easy way. The fun way included some river sand ? bliksem this sand was totally f$%&ed, deep and soft and with mud below it. Within 10m the GSA went down twice (gently though) ? got so stuck that it took moerse boere strength to get it out.
Just, just managed to get it out of the sand onto the river bank. So the fun plan was canned immediately and we took the easy grass riverbank option.
And then we crossed the river one at a time. And as mates do, the two not crossing were armed and ready with cameras to capture the first poor idiot drowning his bike. But nothing of the kind and our confidence were at an all time high concurring the road thus far ? ready for whatever was ahead. Time now 14:05.
After a couple of hundred meters up the footpath going up the hill, our first obstacle ? nothing too much, just a narrow section for the GSA?s to go thru. And this is the second time that my leg got caught between a rock and a 250kg GSA ? time for those Rallye type boots me thinks.
And then there was sh$t ? the footpath turned into an almost nonnegotiable riverbed with rocks and loose stuff. We had to stop.
There was no way we could continue all the way up this footpath. And there was no way that we will turn around. So, all that was left was to criss-cross the hill/bush on foot and simply find a ?path? to get out. And we did. Some of what we were up against ? this bit we still did ride, however had to move a couple of biggish rocks.
Getting thru the bush and the unforgiving terrain was hard work. We took a break a third of the way up. By now I was really moeg.
Getting to the second stop (two thirds up).
But the Dakar was nowhere to be seen. The Dakar has died. A dead battery was suspected and first we tried to give it a running start. Now imagine this ? its dense bush, there is no open space for longer than 5m and it?s sh$t uneven terrain. After a number of attempts we wisely gave up. Thoroughly f$%&ed by now I was ? can?t remember when last I was so blerrie moeg. Only option was to push the damn Dakar out of there, up the hill to the road still about 250m away.
Taking a break ? almost there, another 30m to go.
And then we were out onto the dirt road ? time now 15:25, almost 2hrs to get thru and effectively move 600m! But we have had our adventure! And we were happy or relieved I?m not too sure! But we were not finished yet. The Dakar was still dead. First tried to pull it with the GSA, but we didn?t have a tow rope. So we tried some innovative ideas, which I will not mention, but had to give up on that. Then tried another couple of running/push starts with no luck ? gave up on that too. Next plan, push the bike to around the corner where there is a nice downhill for a good start.
No such bloody luck! The Dakar refuses to start. OK, time for a new plan. We phone G?s brother to come and pick up the Dakar & we (me & G) will meet him somewhere. sob89 had to stay behind and make sure the locals doesn?t turn his Dakar into furniture and some home d�©cor for their huts ?
Very conveniently, G found this local store for us & decided that it was an excellent spot to meet his brother. Time to make a plan with the dry throats, cause by now our water has also sort of run out.
At last, help arrives and we load the Dakar.
Entertainment on the side of the road while we load the bike. Word of mouth has it that sob89 made some good mates while waiting for us to return ?
By now it was 17:40 and getting late. But we are not worried. The lovely skies on the way home to Tugela Ferry.
Well, we arrived at Tugela Ferry quite late and in the dark around 18:30. The ride there from where we picked up the Dakar was also lekker with a couple of rain drops on the way. Nothing like dust and rain together in the dark, it really screws with your visor.
All in all an awesome day, ended with good food & Jamesons ? and the most important of all off course ? good mates.
To be continued ?
Anyway, this was the plan or rather how it turned out:
5th April - Jburg to Memel Thursday 5th April
6th April - Memel to Tugela Ferry
7th April ? Zingela
8th April ? Tugela Ferry to Babanango
9th April ? back to Jburg
The tracks for the trip:
Between all the riders and non-riders, a million photo?s were taken ? fantastic memories for the trip, but I can unfortunately only show you a couple.
Day 1 & 2:
The ride to Memel was fast. Minor traffic problems in Jburg with the long weekend took us a bit longer to leave the big smoke behind, but once we escaped it was a nice ride with only two incidents. The first, we get pulled over by three traffic cops just outside Heidelberg cause two of the bikes had no number plates ? but with good explanations (maybe more because we were accompanied by an ingelsman from Tugela Ferry that spoke the Zulu language quite pretty) we were soon on our way again.
Next, I nearly took myself out leading the pack by not concentrating on the cars breaking hard in front of me (a gentleman in a new model Disco overtook a truck ? realise that they will not make it and decided to go right onto the dirt next to the tar ? this means that from where I am riding there is an oncoming truck in the right hand lane, cars breaking furiously in front of me and an oncoming Disco left of me on the dirt). Somehow I just managed to stop with a meter to spare ? and with a heart screaming for brandewyn & coke to calm it down.
The evening at the Memel hotel was an enormous success as always with a five star breakfast the following morning ? the only meal until much later ?
What a fantastic day it was ? awesome roads, scenery and adventure. From Memel we went over Mullers Pass, past Fort Mistake, the Maria Ratschitz Mission (recently in the news where a nun died trying to save another life from a burning hospice) and filled up at Wasbank. The final stretch to Tugela Ferry was supposed to be just a normal ride but turned out to be an adventure, but more on that a little bit later.
The Memel surroundings, pretty as always.
Down Mullers Pass and further.
The turnoff to G?s spruit ?
A quick stop at the Maria Ratschitz Mission turnoff.
Wasbank, nothing much to say here ?
If memory serves me correct, this is going up ?Jobskop?, the view from the top and going down.
Then the day turned into one big adventure. We decided to take the scenic route to Tugela Ferry at Wintershoek just before the Sundays River. The jeep track wasn?t mapped on any of the GPS maps, but it appeared to go exactly where we wanted ? and we had enough time ?
Following the jeep track next to the river and the local village.
And then the road stopped ? Lucky for us the ingelsman chatted to a local mama which ensured us that there is a path and that we will make it easy ? yeah right. In the photo below, next to the Sundays River, you can just make out the road on the other side ? 600m as the crow fly. That was 13:30 and with nothing to eat since Memel?s fabulous breakfast.
First, as good GS riders do, we scouted & walked the river to make sure we can go thru. With the path plotted thru the river, missing the underwater rocks etc it was time to plot the road to the point of entrance at the river. Two options ? the fun way and the easy way. The fun way included some river sand ? bliksem this sand was totally f$%&ed, deep and soft and with mud below it. Within 10m the GSA went down twice (gently though) ? got so stuck that it took moerse boere strength to get it out.
Just, just managed to get it out of the sand onto the river bank. So the fun plan was canned immediately and we took the easy grass riverbank option.
And then we crossed the river one at a time. And as mates do, the two not crossing were armed and ready with cameras to capture the first poor idiot drowning his bike. But nothing of the kind and our confidence were at an all time high concurring the road thus far ? ready for whatever was ahead. Time now 14:05.
After a couple of hundred meters up the footpath going up the hill, our first obstacle ? nothing too much, just a narrow section for the GSA?s to go thru. And this is the second time that my leg got caught between a rock and a 250kg GSA ? time for those Rallye type boots me thinks.
And then there was sh$t ? the footpath turned into an almost nonnegotiable riverbed with rocks and loose stuff. We had to stop.
There was no way we could continue all the way up this footpath. And there was no way that we will turn around. So, all that was left was to criss-cross the hill/bush on foot and simply find a ?path? to get out. And we did. Some of what we were up against ? this bit we still did ride, however had to move a couple of biggish rocks.
Getting thru the bush and the unforgiving terrain was hard work. We took a break a third of the way up. By now I was really moeg.
Getting to the second stop (two thirds up).
But the Dakar was nowhere to be seen. The Dakar has died. A dead battery was suspected and first we tried to give it a running start. Now imagine this ? its dense bush, there is no open space for longer than 5m and it?s sh$t uneven terrain. After a number of attempts we wisely gave up. Thoroughly f$%&ed by now I was ? can?t remember when last I was so blerrie moeg. Only option was to push the damn Dakar out of there, up the hill to the road still about 250m away.
Taking a break ? almost there, another 30m to go.
And then we were out onto the dirt road ? time now 15:25, almost 2hrs to get thru and effectively move 600m! But we have had our adventure! And we were happy or relieved I?m not too sure! But we were not finished yet. The Dakar was still dead. First tried to pull it with the GSA, but we didn?t have a tow rope. So we tried some innovative ideas, which I will not mention, but had to give up on that. Then tried another couple of running/push starts with no luck ? gave up on that too. Next plan, push the bike to around the corner where there is a nice downhill for a good start.
No such bloody luck! The Dakar refuses to start. OK, time for a new plan. We phone G?s brother to come and pick up the Dakar & we (me & G) will meet him somewhere. sob89 had to stay behind and make sure the locals doesn?t turn his Dakar into furniture and some home d�©cor for their huts ?
Very conveniently, G found this local store for us & decided that it was an excellent spot to meet his brother. Time to make a plan with the dry throats, cause by now our water has also sort of run out.
At last, help arrives and we load the Dakar.
Entertainment on the side of the road while we load the bike. Word of mouth has it that sob89 made some good mates while waiting for us to return ?
By now it was 17:40 and getting late. But we are not worried. The lovely skies on the way home to Tugela Ferry.
Well, we arrived at Tugela Ferry quite late and in the dark around 18:30. The ride there from where we picked up the Dakar was also lekker with a couple of rain drops on the way. Nothing like dust and rain together in the dark, it really screws with your visor.
All in all an awesome day, ended with good food & Jamesons ? and the most important of all off course ? good mates.
To be continued ?
